Azazelsfyre Ė I remember finals binging Ė and at 47 I lost my freshman 10

Thanks for being sympathetic everyone, I have an amazingly lucky life, so when something like vandalism to DHís car occurs, I have to say ďthatís the price for living in a city, it is a price Iím wiling to payĒ, but it does merit chocolate and beer, but as Pam noted the once in a while thing doesnít seem to be working with me.

Canít say Iím maintaining Ė Iím at 155 today Ė what happened? Did I really gain five pounds in a week? Well there was no shortage of bad behaviour, and three day weekendÖ Well, catch it early and you can reverse it- I know what to do, and I have done it before.

I am the same as last week, but that is OK I expected that or worse so I will take it. I am in a better frame of mind for weight loss this week, not sure what is motivating this new attitude over the last 2 days but it feels good to want to work out again. I think its the beautiful weather we've been having here in CT, it makes me want to take my bike out and ride ride ride. Might as well take advantage before this motivation is gone, gone gone!

Abby, dont get discouraged there might be some salt in some foods you ate recently that you dont realize is making you retain more water this week. I had some chinese food that made me gain 4 pounds in a day and it took me 4 days to get rid of the water I took in! I am the eternal optimist, so I am sending you all some positive mojo right now, keep up the fight and never give up! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++ (see the positive mojo?)

BTW lots of people say the maintaining phase is harder than losing weight phase. And I know exactly where they are coming from. You reach your goal, or getting pretty close to it, and the reptilian brain starts taking over saying "hey, why not celebrate with a little peach pie? What's wrong with a big old serving of fetticini alfredo? huh? you've worked hard! you deserve it!" And things begin to snowball form there .

It seems to me that I have to keep the more evolved part of my brain engaged by maintain a "mindful" eating habit. Not necessarily a long list of "bad foods" but a wholistic picture of how each choice fits into the over all goal of eating well.

Welcome Debra, wow on the 120s! That's what I am aiming for, haven't been there for YEARS. YEARS I tell you.

Good luck Timmy Tammy.

Welcome Runawayspoon, love that name.

Abby, keep on keeping on. Sorry for what happened with DH.

I am at 136, which represents a loss from the 139 I had gotten back up to but I am not confident it will stay because there were tummy issues at work. Buit like Pam, I refuse to give up.

Hi Chris, Becca, everyone. I am still with you guys, trudging along. I keep thinking if I lose my spare stuff in a healthy way, it might inspire my family. Can't go with any restrictive diet, the only thing that EVER works for me is cutting calories and moving more. I am also trying to eat more veg and some fruit.

(Big weight losing sigh.) I'm trying. But it seems so hard with all my mood eating.

I am at 136, which represents a loss from the 139 I had gotten back up to but I am not confident it will stay because there were tummy issues at work. Buit like Pam, I refuse to give up.

(Big weight losing sigh.) I'm trying. But it seems so hard with all my mood eating.

Yes, a big cleansing breath!. And on to the next day. What's done is done. Nice job getting back to 136.

I've been thinking more and more about a 1 week retreat to some wholistic spa/ashram/cave in the mountain side. I have never done such a thing, and I know the price tag can be pretty steep. But somehow just the thought of checking out for a week is so appealing right now. Anyone else considering such a thing these days?

Pam, I've read about retreats like that. Some workouts, yoga, mud baths, massages, good food, how cool that would be! I imagine it's a hefty price tag, but what an experience! I hope u get to do that, sooner rather than later! And if I win lotto, I just might join you!

Hope you are sooooo close, don't give up now! I'm certainly not as vigilant as I was in the beginning, I admit. I've only 7 lbs. to goal. It could take me 14 weeks to get there, and in my mind that seems like forever from now. But at least I'm thinking that I will get there. Past diets I would have given up loooong ago, and quit when a week of no loss occurred. I am so looking forward to the day that I can say, I've been in maintenance for X months, X years.

I came back from 4 days vacation. Eating terrible. All kind of junk and no moving at all. To my surprise, I gain nothing. I was motivated and eat healthy and walk ( just got and ok from doctor to get back to running, I try to build that up). This morning, I am 3 pounds more than I just came back from vacation.
I can't understand. May be the junk food and no movement will help me?????
I am so fustrated. I don't know why this time around I am so struggle. I can't even lose 5 pounds for months.
Can anyone help please?
Thanks,

Pam, since Iíve been doing yoga Iíve started to understand why people want yoga retreats. The closest Iíve come is monastic retreats, which are not too expensive, but tend to have a Christian bent to them Ė the ones Iíve been on never asked what you believe, as long as you donít mind being around a bunch of chanting, singing, meditating, and praying people what you do is up to you. Iíve been on two in Cambridge MA, one of which was silent. Then, last summer my mother and I went to one together Ė we were both crazy about an author who was going to be speaking Ė it turns out the author wasnít the great gift, the gift was the time with my mother, singing, and walking in the woods, and eating the healthy food, having long periods of silence (you donít talk between compline and matins (the late night and early AM services). Iím not Catholic, neither is my mom, this was an Episcopal center, but truly a retreat. Weíre doing it again this summer (and once again, I stop to give thanks that my mother is healthy even as I am about to turn 50!).

Axazelsfrye GO GO GO GO!

Mai, long term, not day to day Ė the scale responds to odd things that arenít how good you are right now!